Sen Capito: Fiber Still Likely to Win in West Virginia, 'Fine' With BEAD Rebidding

Sen Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) told local news that she doesn’t expect her state’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment plan to change drastically under new program rules. Previously a staunch opponent of rebidding, she said she was “fine” with satellite providers getting another chance to bid for homes and businesses the state had awarded to fiber internet service providers. “My understanding is from our West Virginia leadership at the Broadband Council that our plan meshes fairly well with what the new guidance is,” she told Wheeling (WV)-based outlet The Intelligencer. “I think certain points will have to be sent back out to be rebid to see if some of the satellite companies want to bid in that area. I mean, I’m fine with that.” On June 6, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration handed down new rules for the $42.45 billion BEAD program, rescinding Biden-era approvals and requiring all states to field an additional round of grant applications with a new scoring rubric. West Virginia had finished its spending plan and gone entirely with fiber, something the Trump administration has been opposed to because it can have a higher deployment cost.